News

A-10 Defenders Launch Assault on USAF

—Marc V. Schanz5/8/2014

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The
Air Force’s proposal to divest the A-10 fleet came under renewed attack
Wednesday as the House Armed Services Committee began marking up its version of
the defense authorization bill. Rep. Ron Barber (D-Ariz.) confirmed he and Rep.
Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) would submit an amendment during the mark-up session that
would prohibit USAF from retiring the A-10 in 2015. The amendment also directs the
Government Accountability Office to conduct an assessment of USAF’s remaining
combat fleet and its ability to conduct the close air support mission. Rep.
Candice Miller (R-Mich.), vice chair of the House Homeland Security Committee,
also declared
her support of the measure. HASC Chair Rep. Buck McKeon declared earlier in
the week that he would support “type-1000” storage for the Warthog, but several
senators later announced their skepticism of the proposal. Sen. Kelly Ayotte
(R-N.H.), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen.
Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) released a statement
opposing the move, calling it “short-sighted and dangerous.” Putting A-10s
in type-1000 is not a compromise, they argue, and would mean units standing
down, discontinued training, and reassignment of crews to other missions. “We
believe prematurely divesting the A-10 would put our ground troops in serious
additional danger in future conflicts,” they announced.